Container system for railway cars



Mard 9, 1965 J. E. GUTRIDGE ETAL 3,172,371

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March 9, 1965 J. E. GUTRIDGE ETAL 3,172,371

CONTAINER SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY CARS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1962 u NU O:G. S mmp www UH GT. E L L M E m ATTYS.

March 9, 1965 J. E.'GUTRiDGE ETAL 3,172,371

CONTAINER SYSTEM Foa RAILWAY cms Filed June 14, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS JACK E. GUTR\DGE EARL L. THOMPSON BMKMw/M ATTY'S.

March 9, 1965 J. E. GurRmGE ETAL 3,172,371

CONTAINER SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY CARS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 14, 1962 INVENTORS JACK E. GUTRIDGE EARL L. THOMPSON March 9, 1965 E, GUTRlDGE ETAL 3,172,371

CONTAINER SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed June 14, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS JACK E. GUTR\DGE BY EARL L. THOM PSON ATTYS.

March 9, 1965 J. E. GUTRIDGE ETAL. 3,172,371

CONTAINER SYSTEM RoR RAILWAY cARs Filed June 14, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS. JACK E GUTRIDGE EARL L.THOMPSON BMjMh/M ATTY'S.

3,172,371 CNTAEJER SYSTEM FR RAELWAY CARS .lack E. Gutridge, Dyer, Ind., and Earl L. rihmtnpson, @hicago, lll., assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, lli., a corpuratien of Delaware Filed .lune 14, 1962, Ser. No. 292,471 6 Claims. (Cl. 10S-366) The invention is directed to a new and improved container mounting and locking arrangement in the form of a special small box container system for vehicle piggyback operations and particularly adapted for use in railway car desig-n.

With the `advent of container piggyback operations in the railroad industry, considerations have been given to container mounting and locking arrangements for efficient utilization of the available deck space of a railway car. A number of complexities arise in attempting to design container locking means capable of efficiently releasably fixing a flat bottom container to the deck of a railway car. Locking means utilized normally project upwardly from the deck surface for engagement with edge portions of lthe containers for positive attachment thereof to the car. The presence of upwardly projecting locking means requires controlled movement and positioning of the container during the loading and unloading operations to prevent snagging of the containers on the projecting locking means and possible damage to the containers. Furthermore, the at deck portion of the car is not readily available for use in piggyback operation with other types of lading as the upwardly projecting locking means interrupt the surface continuity of the deck.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved container mounting and locking arrangement for vehicle application, particularly railway cars, the arrangement including uniquely designed containers and container mounting and locking means capable of enhancing the overall utility of the vehicle.

Another object is to provide a new and improved -small box container system for vehicle piggyback operation, the system involving the use of specially designed Vcontainer-type bins including supporting legs which coperate with special support and locking means formi-ng a part of the vehicle, the supporting legs permitting elevated support of each bin during use thereof separate from the system.

Still a further object is to provide a new and improved vehicle, such as a railway car, including a special deck portion having as a part thereof la unique container mounting and locking arrangement permitting ecient mounting and locking of containers on the vehicle and unimpeded use of the deck portion when the vehicle is not involved in container piggyback service.

Still a further object is to provide a new and improved positive acting container mounting and locking arrangement which involves the combination of a specially designed container and locking means, the locking means being recessed inthe deck portion of a vehicle, such as a railway car, and the container including depending means received in the recessed locking means.

Other objects not specifically set forth will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a railway car including as a part thereof the container system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse half section of the center portion of the car illustrating a portion of the United States Patent 0 lil Patented Mar. 9, 1965 deck thereof and the mounting of the deck on the underframe;

FIG. 3 is a View similar to FIG. 2 illustrating an end portion of the car and a variation in the deck mounting arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the deck of the car illustrating the arrangement of the locking means thereon;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of one of the centrally located locking means;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the central locking means of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective of a portion of the locking means and a cooperating depending leg of a container constituting a part of the system;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, partly sectioned elevation of the locking means cooperating with legs of adjacent containers;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan View of a modified form of locking means; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective of a modified container adapted for use with the locking means of FIG. 9.

The present invention in its preferred form, involves the combination of recessed locking means formed in a hat deck portion, the recesses being adapted to receive therein depending legs of a container-type bin and releasably lock the bins in upright position on the deck by engagement between specially formed and arranged locking flanges constituting a part of the locking means. The recessed locking means are arranged along the deck to receive therein adjacent legs of adjacent bins thus providing for close spacing of the bins along the deck. With the arrangement described, the deck is completely clear from upwardly projecting members which would interfere with its full use in the support of other types of lading.

FIG. 1 illustrates a railway car 10 having as a part thereof the container system of the invention. The car 10 includes a main underframe 11. which is basically a center sill structure of shbelly configuration having a deep center portion and shallow opposite end portions supported by wheel trucks 12. Preferably the underframe 11 is of reduced height as compared to the height of a standard flat car to thus permit the use therewith of higher containers or bins 13 providing increased cargo space. To permit coupling of the car 1t) to cars of standard height, the underframe 11 is provided at opposite ends thereof with raised coupler housings 14 receiving in the outer ends thereof standard couplers 1S which project 4above the top surface of the underframe 11. A longitudinally continuous at deck 16 is mounted on the underframe 11 and extends substantially the full length thereof terminating at opposite ends adjacent the raised coupler housings 14. As will be described in greater detail, the deck 16 is preferably mounted on the underframe 11 for controlled longitudinal movement relative thereto in response to operational forces in buff and draft, the interconnection between the deck 16 and underframe 11 being made through known types of cushioning devices (not shown) involving as a part thereof energy absorbing hydraulic cylinders or rubber cushions which provide for controlled travel of the deck 16 relative to the underframe 11 to protect the lading, Vsuch as the bins 13, `and the contents thereof.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the manner in which the deck 16 is mounted on the underframe 11 for relative travel therebetween. FIG. 2 illustrates a half section of the deep center sill portion of the car 10 with the underframe 11 being formed basically from a pair of vertical side plates 17 having attached thereto a transverse bottom plate 18 Vboth longitudinally and transversely of the car.

and top plate 19. At spaced intervals longitudinally of the under-frame 11 throughout the deep center portion thereof, the side plates 17 have attached thereto a plurality of Outrigger structures formed basically from a top I- 'beam 20 and a diagonal bracing I-beam 2.1 suitably interattached to the deck 16, Suitable tiedown brackets 26 are mounted on the beam 24) and overextend the bottom flange of the rail member 25 to retain the same in sliding supported engagement with the roller 23. A plurality of such Outrigger structures support the deck throughout the length of the car 10.

The deck 16 may be formed in any suitable manner such as including `a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending I-beams 27 interconnected along their outermost ends by inwardly opening longitudinally continuous channel beams 28. The top surface of the deck 16 is formed by a plurality of Wooden planks 29 suitably interconnected and attached to the channel beams 28 by bracket members 3G. The top surface of each rail member Z is suitably attached to the transverse I-beams 27 thus providingfor movement of the deck 16 relative to the underframe 11 longitudinally thereof in response to operational forces developed in buff and draft.

FIG. 3 illustrates the mounting of the deck 16 adjacent the opposite ends of the underframe 11, these ends being Yof reduced depth to accommodate the wheel trucks 12 thereunder. The top plate 19 of the underframe 11 has attached thereunder a specially shaped Outrigger beam 31 which inwardly of its outermost end is vertically recessed and mounts therein a pair of transverse plates 32. A roller 33 is mounted between the plates 32 by a pin 34 and projects above the top surface of the beam 31. Suitable tie-down brackets 26 maintain the bottom surface of the rail member in contact with the roller 33. To provide clearance between the deck 16 and the raised couplerk housings 14, the center end portions of the deck 16 are provided with recessed areas directly below the planks 29. Each recess is defined by longitudinally extending channel beams 35 which interconnect the endmost transverse I- beams 27 to each side of the coupler housings 14. With this arrangement the deck 16 is free to move longitudinally of the underframe 11 over the coupler housings 14 without interference therewith. As previously described, any suitable cushioning device (not shown) may be used in the known manner to further interconnect the deck 16 to the underframe 11 to provide for controlled travel of the deck 16 relative to the underframe 11.

The bins 13 may be loaded or unloaded by lift trucks operating along the deck 16. Preferably, additional centrally located rollers 33 are attached between the longitudinal beams 35 and cooperating channel beams 35 and engage support I-beams 25 mounted on the top plate 19 -to either side of the coupler housings 14. These additional rollers 33 provide lift truck Wheel load support in the recessed central end portions of the deck 16 overex- -tending the coupler housings 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the deck 16 is formed with a plurality of spaced full and half recessed locking means V36 and 37 respectively. The full locking means are aligned centrally of the car and spaced longitudinally thereof and the halflocking means are aligned longitudinally of the car and spaced along opposite edges of the deck 16. The half locking means 37 are also transversely aligned on Veither side of a centrally located full locking means 36 thus providing a series of aligned locking means extending FIG. 5 illustrates a full locking means 36 comprising a generally .rectangular recessed compartment defined by side wall portions 38 and a bottom plate 39. The compartment is subdivided into four compartment areas by inwardly projecting block-like partitions 40. Depending upon the desired shape of the recessed locking means 36, the partitions 40 may be of different effective length as best shown in FIG. 4. The partitions. extend inwardly toward the center of the locking means 36 and are located centrally of the side walls thereof.

The center area of the locking means 36 has mounted therein a pivotal or rotatable lock member 41 of spokelike configuration having a depending central hub portion 42 (FIG. 8) and a plurality of radially outwardly projecting locking flanges 43. The llanges are dimensioned to terminate just short of the inner ends of the kpartitions 40 and FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the lock members in their container unlocking position. The half locking means 37 as best shown in FIG. 4 are of the same general configuration as the full locking means 36 with the exception that only tWo compartment areas are provided and a lock member 44 is mounted outwardly of the compartment areas centrally of block-like inwardly projecting partitions 45 and includes just a pair of locking anges 46.

FIGS. 648 illustrate operational use of the recessed locking means of the invention. Referring first to FIG. 7, each container or bin 13 is formed with four corner located depending legs 47 each being of similar configuration. Preferably the legs 47 are of oval configuration and in the outer end portions thereof the legs are formed with recessed locking slots 48 which extend horizontally and diagonally and are dimensioned to receive a locking ange 43 therein. The legs 47 are dimensioned to be received in the compartment areas of the recessed locking means 36 as shown in brokenlines in FIG. 6. One leg of each of four adjacent bins 13 is received in a corner compartment area of a single locking means 36, the preferred oval (shape of eachleg 47 permitting ready centering and insertion in a compartment area.

Upon proper positioning of the bins 13 v with the legs thereof in their respective compartment areas of the individual full and half recessed locking means, the lock members 41 and 44 are operated intotheir locking positions. This is brought about by rotation or pivoting of 'the lock members with the locking anges thereof being receivedA in the locking slots 48 of the legs 47.V The locking position of the lock member 41 of a full recessed locking means 36 is shown in FIG. 6 in solid lines and the locking anges 43 extend substantially into the adjacent locking slots 43. By reason of the preferred oval conguration of the legs 47, the locking slots 48 provide a rather substantial locking Vledge surface for Contact with the bottom surface of a locking flange 43. With this arrangement it is possible to safely and adequately lock the compartment areas in conjunction with the partitions 4t? when the lock members are in their inoperative positions. Thus the lock members and partitions cooperate to confine the compartment areas thus further permitting proper centering ofthe legs 47 therein whenthe bins 13 are lowered into supported position on the deck 16.

FIG. 8 illustrates the tight clamping locking action of the locking llanges 43 in the locking slots 48. Preferably, the bottom surfaces 49 of the locking llanges43 are convex to provide a camming action during movement of the flanges over the locking ledge portion of the locking slots 4S to tightly clamp'and hold down the bins 13 against the deck 16. Operation of the lock members 41 and 44 is brought about by the connection of a single transverse operating lever Si) to the transversely aligned full and half recessed locking means 36 and 37 along the deck 16. As best shown in FG. 8, each lock member includes a fixed depending spindle 51 suitably journaled in the bottom plate 39 of each locking means and projecting below the deck 16. As best shown in FiG. 6, each spindle 51 has fixed thereto a transverse operating arm 52 which is pivotally attached at its outermost end to the operating lever 50. PEG. 4 illustrates the various operating levers 50 as projecting outwardly beyond the side edges of the deck 16 to denne handle means 53 readily available for grasping from either` side of the car 10. The handle means 53 may extend through suitable apertures in the rail members or be otherwise exposed. With this arrangement each transverse series of locking means can be simultaneously operated quite readily from either side of the car 10. One longitudinal series of half lock members is reversed relative to the other as shown in FG. 4 to accommodate simultaneous operation. v

With the use of the locking arrangement described it will be appreciated that the bins 13 are arranged in two longitudinally extending rows with pairs of bins aligned in side-by-side arrangement. The innermost legs 47 of each bin will be received in compartment areas of adjacent full locking means Se and the outermost legs will be received in compartment areas of adjacent half locking means 37. By reason of the legs being received in the recessed locking means, the bins are held against longitudinal or lateral movement relative to the deck 16. Upon operation of the lock members 41 and i4 into their locking positions, the bins are clamped against vertical displacement. The bin-type containers i3 are readily adapted for loading and unloading to and from the car l0 and the legs 47 thereof are useful in maintaining the contents in elevated position during use of the bins 13 when the same are not being transported on the car it?. Additionally, the top surface of the deck 16 is not interrupted by upwardly projecting lock members and the car l0 is adapted for use in transporting other types of lading without interference from the lock members and without the necessity of removing lock elements.

FiGS. 9 and l0 illustrate a modified type of locking arrangement utilizing dual compartment recessed locking means 54. Each locking means includes recessed compartment areas 55 arranged in opposed relation and subdivided by inwardly projecting, oppositely positioned partitions 56. Mounted between the partitions 56 is a lock member 57 provided with a pair of oppositely projecting locking flanges '58 which in their locking position, as shown in FIG. 9, project into the compartment areas 55. Each lock member 57 includes a depending spindle 59 xed to a radially extending operating arm 65B which at its outermost end is pivotally attached to an operating lever 61 below the deck 16 and including operating handles (not shown) exposed on opposite sides of the deck 16.

A modiiied bin 62 is partially shown in FIG. l0 and the legs 63 thereof include in an outer side surface a centrally located, longitudinally extending locking slot 64 in which the locking iianges 5S are received to lock the bins 62 to the deck 16. The particular locking means 54 described are arranged in series of four similar locking means transversely of the deck i6.

While the different types of locking arrangements described above are illustrated in specific series arrangement in the deck 16 of the car it?, it will be understood that variations in the positioning of the locking means can be readily made to accommodate different shapes and congurations of containers or the like. Container legs of different shape, such as the oval legs 47 and rectangular legs 63, may be used with the locking means of the invention.

Obviously certain modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A container system for vehicle piggyback operations, said system comprising in combination a plurality of container-type bins each supported by depending legs, said bins being arranged in side-by-side relation on platform means forming a part of a vehicle, said platform means including a plurality of recessed locking means arranged to receive therein and releasably lock adjacent legs of adjacent bins, each of said locking means including a recessed area subdivided into a plurality of adjacent compartments each dimensioned to accommodate a leg therein, each of said locking means further including a plurality of locking flanges carried by rotatable hub means centrally located relative to said compartments for simultaneous movement of said locking flanges into and out of said compartments, and operating means for said hub means, said legs including recesses which receive said locking iianges upon movement of said iianges into said compartments.

2. A railway car comprising in combination a wheelsupported underframe, a deck on said underframe, means interconnecting said deck with said underframe for longitudinal movement relative to said underframe, container locking recesses in said deck and spaced therealong, each of said recesses provided with closely grouped compartments and locking means mounted centrally of each compartment grouping, said locking means having hub means and a plurality of radially projecting locking anges dimensioned to extend into said grouped compartments in the locking position and between said compartments in the unlocking position, means mounting said hub means for rotation to move said iianges into and out of locking and unlocking positions, operating means for said mounting means, and a plurality of containers mounted on said deck, each `container including depending supporting legs dimensioned to be received in said compartments, said containers being arranged with the legs thereof received in compartments of adjacent recesses, each leg having a horizontally extending locking slot formed in an edge thereof and dimensioned to receive a locking ange therein.

3. A railway car comprising in combination a wheelsupporting underframe, a deck on said underframe, means interconnecting said deck with said underframe for longitudinal movement relative to said underframe, container locking recesses in said deck and spaced therealong, said recesses including full size and half size recesses with said full size recesses arranged centrally and longitudinally of said deck and said half size recesses arranged to either side of said full size recesses along said deck, each of said recesses provided with compartments and locking means mounted centrally thereof, said fuli size recesses including four circumferentially grouped compartments and said half size recesses including two side-by-side compartments, said locking means having hub means and a plurality of radially projecting locking flanges dimensioned to extend into said compartments in the locking position and between said compartments in the unlocking position, means mounting said hub means for rotation to move said flanges into and out of locking and unlocking positions, operating means for said mounting means, and a plurality of containers mounted on said deck, each container including four depending supporting legs dimensioned to be received in said compartments, said containers being arranged in side-by-side relation with the legs thereof received in compartments of adjacent recesses, each leg having a horizontally extending locking slot formed in an edge thereof and dimensioned to receive a locking iiange therein.

4. A railway car comprising in combination a wheelsupported underframe, a deck on said underframe, means interconnecting said deck with said underframe for longitudinal movement relative to said underframe, container Yarrasar locking Yrecesses in said deck and spaced therealong, said recesses including full size and half size recesses with said full size recesses arranged centrally and longitudinally of said deck and said half size recesses arranged to either side of said full size recesses along said deck, each of said recesses provided with compartments and locking means mounted centrally thereof, said full size recesses including four circumferentially grouped compartments and said half size recesses including two side-by-side compartments, said locking means having hub means and a plurality of radially projecting locking anges dimensioned to extend into said compartments in the locking position and between said compartments in the unlocking position, spindle means mounting said hub means for rotation to move said flanges into and out of locking and unlocking positions, operating means attached to said spindle means and including an operating lever projecting from opposite sides of said deck and transversely interconnecting the locking means of series of aligned full size and half size recesses, and a plurality of containers mounted on said deck, each container including four depending supporting legs dimensioned to be received in said compartments, said containers being arranged in side-by-side relation with the legs thereof received in compartments of adjacent recesses, each leg having a horizontally extending locking slot formed in an edge thereofV and dimensioned to receive a locking ange therein.

5. The railway car of claim 3 wherein each container leg is of generally oval shape with the locking slot thereof formed across an end portion.

6. The railway car of claim 4 wherein the bottom surface of each locking flange is convex to releasably clamp a ledge surface of a leg locking slot.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,486,164 Smith Mar. 11, 1924 1,663,375 Kirchner Mar. 20, 1928 2,047,955 Fitch July 21, 1935 2,053,969 Olds Sept. 8, 1936 2,117,067 Ludington s May 10, 1938 

1. A CONTAINER SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE PIGGYBACK OPERATIONS, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A PLURALITY OF CONTAINER-TYPE BINS EACH SUPPORTED BY DEPENDING LEGS, SAID BINS BEING ARRNGED IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION ON PLATFORM MEANS FORMING A PART OF A VEHICLE, SAID PLATFORM MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF RECESSED LOCKING MEANS ARRANGED TO RECEIVE THEREIN AND RELEASABLY LOCK ADJACENT LEGS OF ADJACENT BINS, EACH OF SAID LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING A RECESSED AREA SUBDIVIDED INTO A PLURALITY OF ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS EACH DIMENSIONED TO ACCOMMODATE A LEG THEREIN, EACH OF SAID LOCKING MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF LOCKING FLANGES CARRIED BY ROTATABLE HUB MEANS CENTRALLY LOCATED RELATIVE TO SAID COMPARTMENTS FOR SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING FLANGES INTO AND OUT OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, AND OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID HUB MEANS, SAID LEGS INCLUDING RECESSES WHICH RECEIVE SAID LOCKING FLANGES UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID FLANGES INTO SAID COMPARTMENTS. 